Counter molder



March 1950 J. H. SCH-ARFFENBERG 2,499,733

COUNTER MOLDER 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 2'7, 1948 March 7, 1950 J. 1-1., SCHARFFENBERG 2,499,783

COUNTER MOLDER Filed July 27, 1948 -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 sxi @3 6 ZN HINYENTOR.

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March 7, 19 50 J. H. SCHARFFENBERG 2,499,733

COUNTER MOLDER Filed Jul-y 27, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 llllllllllll' INVENTOR.

March 7, 1950 J. H. SCHARFFENBERG COUNTER MOLDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 27, 1948 INVENTOR.

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Patented Mar. 7, 1950 oounrrna MOLDER Jean H. Scharffenberg, Lynn, Mass., assignor to StewartBros., Inc., Lynn, Mass, a. corporation of Massachusetts Application J My 27', 1948, Serial No. 40,853 7 Claims. (01. 12-566) of the blank and impart a permanent curvature thereto. The counter blanks are placed in the. molds so that when the molds are closed, the marginal portions of the counter projects outwardlyfrom the face of the molds. A flange plate is then,

advanced to engage the protruding margin of the blank, and wipe it forward and inwardly upon the face of the center mold, thus forming a horseshoe shaped flange which is subsequently used for at-, taching the molded counter to the shoe bottom.

Preformed counters made in this manner with only a flat heel seat flange can be used readily in McKay sewn shoes, and three-sole stitch-down shoes, but when incorporated into a welt sewn shoe of the Goodyear type there are certain limiting features. Either the counter must be made short enough so that when it is laid over the heel area of the insole the heel seat flange doesnot overlap the rib of the insole. Or if it is desired to use, a longer counter, the heel seat flange must be cut away to allow the for-ward corners of the counter to extend along the shank outside the insole rib. Or finally, a third possibility is to bend the heel seat flange to form a second, depending flange to conform to the insole rib. Of these three.

alternatives the third is decidedly the better. because with it, the counter can be sewn to th insole thereby effecting a more rigid connection be-. tween the heel and forward portions of the shoe, and preventing the forward corners of the counter from creeping as they would be prone to do if the heel seat flange were merely cut away.

Forming the heel seatflange has. been accon 1,

plished with entire success by the above described method, but it is extremel difficult to form the dependent shank flange, described as preferable for long shank counters used in a welt sewn shoe. It can be accomplished manually, but to do, so is unsatisfactory not only because it requires anad-v ditional operation, but also because the toughness of h counter mate i tu ly re ires. me em ca i n i r t saii iaeter ly; a i n ierrmz y to. re a n, sfmeldes silage. irsl iqrellew ever, no mechanical device has been successful in accomplishing this end under satisfactorycommercial conditions. 7'

The device of my invention solves this problem and makes available for the first time a commercially feasible machine capable ofsimultaneously molding the flat heel seat flange and the depend; ing shank flangeof a longshankcounter.

My invention is herein shown as embodied in an automatic. counter molding machine of the type disclosed in my U. S; Patent No. 2,085,731, in which the heel seat flange wiper plate. is mounted on a vertically sliding carrier. On this carrier and immediately below the heel flange Wiper plate, is placed a, pair of shank flange wipen plates mounted to slidetransversely with relation to the heel flange wiper plate, and cams are pro! videdto drive these shank flange wiper plates in-.-. wardly on the Working-stroke of the carrier. At

the end of the working stroke of the carrier, thesemovablewiper plates come flush up. against an upstanding plug on the face. of the. center mold.-

and form the depending shank flanges.

An important feature of my invention is the an-..

gle of relative movement between thev movablewiper' plates and the plug against which theshanle flanges are pressed. Inasmuch as the marginal--v portion of the counterblank must-be bent flat atthe tipv of the center mold, and then again bent: back to form the depending shank flange, if the. wiper plates approached the plug at right angles, the first angle would be properly molded, but. due. to a, stretching tension of the counter caused by. its being held firm at. the lip and being wiped t0:

ward the upstanding plug, when the wiperplate is withdrawn, a concise and permanent angle will. 0n the. other hand, the shank flange wiper plates of not be molded into the shank flange.

invention wipe along the upstanding plug, start-.. ingclose to it and gradually pressing against it; untilf-ull pressure is attained at the end ot. the. workingv stroke. In this Way, the stretching. Of? the. blank caused by. the-wiper, is largely longitu-.. dinal andwhen the wiper is withdrawn the blank does notreced-e from the upstanding plug, butv rather adheres. closely to it and leaves a well;

length by varying the effective length of the carriers working stroke.

These and other objects and features of my invention will be more readily understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the machine with molds and flange wiper plates shown as retracted prior to insertion of the counter blank,

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the carrier showing the flange plates,

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section from the left of the carrier and flange wiper plates along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a plan view in cross section of the carrier along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation of the right hand shank flange plate cam,

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the cam shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation showing the molds engaged and the carrier at the full extremity of its workin stroke,

Fig. 8 is a view in front elevation of the center mold,

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the center mold,

Fig. 1D is a view in side elevation of the molded counter showing the shank flange,

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the counter shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a view in front elevation of the carrier as constructed to mold long shan'k counters to be used in womens high heeled shoes, and

Fig. 13 is a view in side elevation showing the carrier of Fig. 12 in pressing relation to a center mold designed to mold counters for womens high heeled shoes.

Before proceeding to the detailed description of my invention, it will be convenient first to outline its general construction and manner of operation. A pair of concave side molds I3 is mounted for limited vertical movement in the upper part of the frame, each mold being engaged to swing toward the other from the open position. Directly beneath the side molds I3 a center mold I4, resembling the heel and shank portion of a shoe last, is mounted for vertical movement on the short arm of a pendant pressure lever 23. To operate the machine. the operator inserts a counter blank between the side molds and center mold I4 and actuates the pressure lever 23. Thereupon the center mold I4 is raised against the side molds I3 causing them to swing together, taking up their limited vertical motion and applying a preliminary molding pressure to the blank. At this stage the operator may still make any necessary adjustment in the vblanks position after which the final molding pressure is applied. At the time of applying the final molding pressure, a carrier l5 sliding vertically across the face of the molds operates by means of a wiper plate 25 to wipe the protruding margin portions of the counter blank inwardly and across the face of the center mold I4 to form a heel seat flange. Also during the working stroke of the carrier I5, two side wiper plates 21 are driven toward the center mold I4 by cams 28 and at the end of the working stroke they come snugly up against a shank plug plate I! on the center mold I4, thus the flangesare formed and a finished molded counter as shown for example in Figs. and 11 is the're'sult.

Passing now to a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of my invention, it comprises an upright frame I 0 which includes spaced side members joined by a heavy base plate (not shown). A cross girt II is secured to the upper portion of the frame by heavy bolts and is tied to the upper portion of the frame for additional support by tie rods I 2.

- The center mold i4 is mounted mid-way between the cross girt II and within the frame In upon a base 2|. The base 2| fits in ways bolted to the upper face of a bed piece 22. which in turn is mounted on the short arm of the pendant pressure lever 23. The pressure lever 23 is pivotally mounted on a shaft (not shown) supported by the frame I0, and when rocked by means not shown, the lever arm 23 imparts vertical motion to the bed piece 22. A pair of brackets 29 are also bolted to the upper face of the bed piece 22 each of which carries in an oblique plunger 30 backed by a heavy compression sprin 3I and an adjusting screw 32. Each plunger 30 carries at its upper end a contact piece 33. Thus when the pressure lever 23 raises the bed piece 22, the center mold I4 and the plungers 30 are raised and come into contact with the side molds as will be described presently.

The concave side molds I3 are suspended above the center mold I4 being joined centrally in hinged relation by the pin I 9 and being suspended in place laterally by a pair of inclined toggle links I3. The links ill have spherical ends which fit into corresponding sockets formed in the cross girt H and the molds I3 respectively, thus holding the side molds centrally beneath the cross girt II. Each of the links I8 is engaged by the upper end of an oblique adjusting screw 20 .by which the molds may be adjusted and properly centered with reference to the center mold I4. When the bed piece 22 is elevated by operation of the pressure lever 23, the center mold I4 carries the side molds I3 bodily upward and also swings them inwardly about the pin I9 by action of the toggle links I8, thus bringing about a preliminary engagement of the counter blank as already described. In order to apply the final molding pressure, the pressure lever 23 further raises the bed piece 22, whereupon the contact pieces 33 of the oblique plungers 30 engage an inclined face at the lower end of each side mold 43. Thus the final molding pressure is imparted to the molds through the combined action of the toggle links I8 and the plungers 30.

The mechanism for wiping the fiat heel seat flange and depending blank shank flanges will now be explained. A flange plate carrier I5 is mounted to slide vertically along the face of the molds I3 and I4 in the ways It secured to the face of the cross girt I I. The carrier to is reciprocated in the ways IE5 through the medium of an adjustable link 24 which is pivotally connected to the front of the carrier I5 and is driven by means not shown. On the rear face of the carrier I5, that is, the face next to the molds, a heelseat flange wiper plate 25 is secured by machine screws. Below and on each side of the plate 25, two shank flange wiper plates 27 are mounted on cams 28 by means of positioning dowels 34 and machine screws 35. Each cam 28 comprises a cylindrical shaft 38, a narrow, rectangular plug 40 extending along the shaft 38, and an oblique head 4|, and is mounted to slide transversely in the base of the carrier I5 in a corresponding keyhole-Shaped socketr- 'mmrectangulanplng m2 faces-rearwardly and?receives-apositioningidowell' 34 and a machine screw fi -which secureithe shanks flange ;,wiper--pl'ate: 2 .1. to it}: 'I he-cams-J mar-e sup ported at their-outer -ends byguiderodsalztwhichi arezt'hreaded at one endand;fitinigidly-intdsockets; in the carrier: I51 thein-outer endl the; guide; rods. 42: are providedirwith: a. nutxhead'; Thea. cams 28:. are: provided with upstandmg-searstua drilled. centrally to receive the. guideirods no. A compressiomspring 435iisilocated"imthetkeyhole; shaped. groove'between the right: and. left-hand; cam shafts 38; andi'ho1d$;.the1= cams. and: shank flange wipers outwardly. ins restrained? relations. against the guide rod nut heads-Mia The shanleflange wipers, flare;forcedinwardly during therworking: stroke; or; the arrier: I; by=- oblique: guides-dewhich: arelocated1 11s,.tih811QW8l2: face. of. the: ways? I16, and; positioned: o: n age the; oblique camzheads 4M5; when the carrierleis; started onyitsrworking stroke; Theeohlique guidesi lstarea provided with elongatedi'slots: 4.1? through? whichthemachine screwsrpassrto-ahold; the guides 46 in lacerv The -.elongated-..slots 4:1; arelused-sin' adjusting the slant; angle oi the? oblique: guides:

An. upstanding; plug-plate '51" is securedjtopthet center mold-.:hyt machine.-screws;;,om theiface of the; center; mold inthe? shank: area; The? plug plate; irliszformed'inathe shape 013 a; keystonewith-r straight side edges converging; downwardly. It. canbe readily interchanged with: other" pl s when changes. of. length. or.- position: of. he, sh ank...

flanges are desired;

It is. important .to note at this point: the. rela--- tionship between the slant:angle ofitheasideedges; of the plug plate; llrgthefi heading edges of the shank flange wiper plates 21, and the oblique guides 46. Duri'ngthe working stroke. of the carrier [5 the leading edges. of. the. wipenplates. 2.1. are continuously parallel to the side-edgesrespectively of the plug plate ll. However, the guides 46 are positionedaha-slightly greaterangle away from thevertical, and the distance betweenthelow end of theeguides 46 and the. edges of the-plug. plate I! isadjusted tobe equaltdlthe distance; between the, oblique cam heads. ill, and the leading,- edge of' the wiper plates 2'! so that at the end of the working stroke, the wiper plates 21 come snugly up against the plate ll. Thus, as the wiper plates 21 approach the plug plate ll, their leading corners pass closely to the upper corners of the plug plate l1, and then as the wiper plates 2? near the end of the stroke, remaining disposed continuously in parallel relation to the plug plate 11, they gradually move closer to it, and finally lodge firmly against it.

The shank flange wiper plates 21 are provided at their upper ends with an inwardly extending ear 48. This ear 48 serves the purpose of wiping that part of the heel seat flange which lies adjacent to the shank flange. Furthermore, by wiping this part of the heel seat flange with a transverse motion, the bunching of the counter material is obviated, a bunching which would occur if the heel seat flange plate were brought down flush against the top of the plug plate l1.

As can be seen from Figs. 12-13, the device of my invention can readily be adapted for molding shank flanges in long counters for women's high heeled shoes. A preferred embodiment constructed for this purpose comprises a carrier 52 carrying a pivotally mounted end piece 53 held in restrained relation and always urged towards the molds by cooperating compression springs 54 and 55. By reference to Fig. 13 it can be seen link 6 0: At its other endithe;springtension link; 50% passesx through: a holeprovided:v for it; in: a:

raised? part: of; the body.- of: the carrier 52:: The

rocker arms 55 are pivota'llymountedpentrallw on a pin 6 I" which is supported by the -carrier--52.; Two compression: springs 54'; one connected: each rocker-arm at the other'end' thereof inter-n connect. the saidwa-rmstothe carrier: 52. The end, piece: 53 has: a; curved: rear surface conforming;

to. the=faceofithex high heel countervmolds; and: it supportssimilarly curved: shank wiper plates-162i These; wiper platesqfiflraxe supported on. came 63:; which slide: transversely in a- ..key hole'=groove1 im the; endpiece 531; and: the cams: 63 engage obliquelguides: 6K1 essentially in the same manner aspde-e I scribed above for mensshoe counters; However;

the;-.guid;e rods: 65: which. retain the cams: 63: are;

located;- below the cams;63; rather than. above.

The operation. of this latter embodiment; con structed for womens. shoe counters; is: slightly:

different in one respect' fromtthe -operation of."

the: first'described embodiment. At; the bottom of theworking. stroke; the-.endlpiece fiflaexerts. considerable. molding pressure on the counter as. well as. performing the flangev wiping: functiom. This; pressure is; applied by; the driving link 24;,

but in order tocompensate for slight variations; the springs: 541 and" 5% allow the end" piece- 53. to recede and pivotlto a; limited extent.

While: this and other variations will be. ap-.. parent: to those skilled in the: art, thetinvention is not limited to theprecise embodimentrshown herein; but is rather-to be measuredbylthe-termsf of the appendedicl'aims;

Having thus: described: my invention: what: I

claim asnew. and desire to secure by Letters:-

Patent of the: United-'- States is 1-. A. machine for moldingcounters; comprisev ing sideimol'ds and a center mold for shaping the body of" a counter blank, a reciprocating: carrier having a, fixed wiper plate mountedtherein: so constructed:andlarranged as topass in. close rela-l. tion'to the said moldseonthe working-stroke of? the carrier and to depress the edge of the counter blank to form a flat heel seat flange, an upstanding shank flange mold on the face of the said center mold, and lateral wiper plates reciprocating simultaneously with the said carrier, adapted to wipe a flat heel seat flange at the side of the heel portion of the counter blank, to converge upon the shank portion of the counter blank, and pressing it against the said shank flange mold to form depending shank flanges.

2. A counter molding machine comprising side and center molds for engaging a counter blank, a plug plate secured to the said center mold, fixed guides adjacent to the said molds, flange plates movable in said guides so constructed and arranged as to wipe a flat heel-seat flange at the heel portion of the counter and to press the forward corners of the counter against the said plug plate to form depending shank flanges, and means for reciprocating the flange plates in the said guides,

3. A counter molding machine comprising side and center molds for engaging a counter blank, a plug plate secured to the said center mold in the shank area, a multiplicity of fixed guides adjacent to the said molds, a flange plate movable in one pair of said guides for engaging the heel portion of the counter blank, flange plates movable in other pairs of guides adapted to wipe the margin of the counter blank flat at the sides of the heel area and to press the said margin against the said plug plate, and means for reciprooating the flange plates in the said guides.

4. A counter molding machine comprising a center mold resembling in shape the heel and shank portions of a shoe last, a plug plate conforming to the sole surface of the center mold and secured to it on the bottom of the shank, side molds, fixed guides adjacent to the said molds, a carrier movable in said guides, means for reciprocating the said carrier in the guides,

a fixed wiper plate mounted on the said carrier and so constructed and arranged as to engage the marginal edge of the heel portion of the counter blank during the working stroke of the said carrier, movable wiper plates mounted on the said carrier to slide transversely with relation to the said fixed wiper plate and to engage first the marginal edges of the heel portion of the counter blank at the sides thereof and then the shank portion thereof during the working stroke of the said carrier, cams secured to the movable wiper plates, fixed oblique guides adjacent to the molds so constructed and arranged as to engage the said cams, during the working stroke of the said carrier, and to cause the said movable wiper plates to converge against the said plug plate.

5. A machine for molding counters, comprising a plug conforming to the shape of the heel and shank portions of a shoe last, walls in the shank portion of the said plug running longitudinally along the plug and depending perpendicularly from the sole level, side molds conforming conversely to the said plug and operatively associated with the said plug for the purpose of molding the body of a counter blank, mechanism for wiping the marginal edges of the counter blank to form a flat heel seat flange and depending shank flanges comprising the following, viz: guides adjacent to the said molds, a carrier mounted for reciprocation in the said guides, a fixed wiper plate mounted on the said carrier and so constructed and arranged as to engage the heel portion of the counter blank during th working stroke of the said carrier, movable wiper plates mounted on the said carrier to slide transversely with relation to the said fixed wiper plate and to engage first the side margins of the heel portion of said blank, wiping them flat and then engaging the shank portion of the counter blank to compress it against the said walls at the end of the working stroke of the said carrier, cams secured to the movable wiper plates, fixed oblique guides adjacent to the molds so constructed and arranged as to engage the said cam, during the working stroke of the said carrier, and to cause the said movable wiper plates to converge against the said plug plate.

6. A counter molding machine as described in claim 5 further characterized by the fixed oblique guides having only a slightly greater oblique angle than the said walls in the shank portion of the plug, such that as the leading corners of the movable wiper plates approach the said walls the shank portion of the plug, they pass close to the rear corner of the said walls and thereafter longitudinal and only slightly transverse.

7. A machine for molding counters comprising side and center molds for shaping the body of a counter blank, a flat plug secured to the center mold at the shank portion thereof having obliquely aligned side walls converging toward the shank end of the said center mold, side flange plates constructed and arranged to move in convergent paths substantially at the same angle of convergence as the walls of the said fiat plug and to exert firm pressure against the said walls at the end of a Working stroke.

JEAN H. SCI-IARFFENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,814,611 Stewart July 14, 1931 2,226,889 Bailey Dec. 31, 1940 2,433,318 Chamberlain Dec. 23, 194"! 

